package de.uni_saarland.coli.doclists.suffixtree;

import de.uni_saarland.coli.doclists.index.IDiscIO;

/**
 * 
 * @author stefan
 * 
 *         Map interface of a node map.
 * 
 */
public interface INodeManager extends IDiscIO {

	/**
	 * Creates a new node.
	 * 
	 * @return a new node
	 */
	STreeNode createNode();

	/**
	 * Creates a new node if no node exists with the id otherwise returns the
	 * existing node.
	 * 
	 * @param id
	 *            the id
	 * @return the node
	 */
	STreeNode getNode(int id);

	/**
	 * Returns the id of the next node that would be created.
	 * 
	 * @return the next new nodes id.
	 */
	int getNextNodeID();

}
